Why Masa-Go had to Go

As a business decision this was a terrible and stupid idea, but before a business man and before and above anything else I am a chef and just like any and all true chefs it is my obligation to feed and nourish the community that I’m apart of and not to poison it. I hold this value high and with as much integrity as I can. I will always strive to have a menu that is natural and nourishing and not one that renders my community with processed sugars, food chemicals and unnatural ingredients and definitely not with ingredients that aren’t meant to be ingested. Masago(smelt roe) at least in its current form is one of these unnatural ingredients.

Masago was born because it was a cheap alternative to flying fish eggs (a Japanese delicacy) and when sushi hit the food scene in the United States it took off and as a result the demand became too high for the market to maintain a reasonable price for Tobiko(flying fish eggs). Masago(smelt roe) effectively became an alternative and through its implementation it some how became ridden with chemicals, bad preservatives, food colorings and processed sugars. As food culture evolves and as a member of a  new generation of chefs that are becoming more aware and educated about food and it’s relation to health this is something that came to by attention and became increasingly a concern the more I’ve thought about it. Then one shift I got drunk and forgot to order it and so I sort of just ran with it, it had been bugging and keeping me up at night for while… along with other things, but that’s for another day!

The true epidemic in our society is one of health and I’m sure we all know it is dietary. I’m very sorry but I refuse to be a part of the problem but much rather and sincerely wish to be a part of the solution even if my tiny role is removing these also tiny and deceptively delicious little eggs from the menu. Again please please believe me that I have an expansive menu because I want to cater to your appetite and not control it. Not surprisingly us chefs love people, we love nature and we love the process of connecting our community with nature through food. It’s our pleasure and honor to bring you joy and satisfaction through cooking, rolling, slicing and dicing! Even though these long hours make us grumpy or unbearable at times this is why we do it! Trust me, we are passionate artists not masochists! Anyhow, I apologize but this is one thing I won’t allow on my menu anymore a menu that my father entrusted me with, so with my deepest regrets the Masago had to Go! Actually… it had to f**k the f**k off! And it feels damn good!

Thank you for understanding or at least trying to understand my stubbornness about food

With much love, the son of a chef and an aspiring chef himself

-Naoki

Ps. I promise to not stir up the menu anymore… at least not for a while